‘Cut carbs to quit diabetes drugs’

A LOW-carb diet may reduce blood sugar almost as much as taking diabetes medication, British scientists claimed yesterday.

After reviewing 40 years of studies, they said cutting down on carbohydrates for six months lowers blood sugar by a medically significant half a per cent, and is as beneficial for diabetics as taking the commonly prescribed drug Metformin.

This suggests the diet could help some patients come off their medication. Lead author Paul McArdle, of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said all doctors should consider recommending a low-carb diet to those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

He said patients could eat fewer carbs with each meal, or choose to have at lease one meal a day without any carbohydrates.

The dietician, who presented the findings at the Diabetes UK conference in Liverpool, said it was ‘one of the best strategies because carbohydrates cause blood sugar to rise’.